Mechanism for forming and feeding metallic envelope fasteners



March 6, 1934. G. A. ANDERSON 1,949,704

MECHANISM FOR FORMING AND FEEDING METALLIC ENVELOPE FASTENERS Filed Dec. 6, 1931 3 SheetS-TSheef. l

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George f). flnderson Fig. 2. @W Z Atcorney March 6, 1934. G ANDERSQN 1,949,764

MECHANISM FOR FORMING AND FEEDING METALLIC ENVELOPE FASTENERS Filed Dec. 26, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 a m 65 MWMW,

L4 George A. f/nderaon FIg. EM W Afitowney Mamh 6, 1934.. G A. ANDERSQN i'ifi wfim MECHANISM FOR FORMING AND FEEDING METALLIC ENVELOPE FASTENERS Filed Dec. 26, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 En van mr: George /9. finders on Fsgii. BB W .4.

PATENT GFFHE MECHANISM FOR, FORMING AND FEEDING hiETALLIC ENVELGPE FASTENERS George A. Anderson, Worcester, Mass, assignor "to United States Envelope Company, Spring- 9 Claims.

tion up 1 by cooperating punches and dies adapted to punch fastener blanks from the strip with the p' already formed therein. lhe invention f her contemplates the provision of means opera in timed relation with the fastener blank forming and punching devices for feeding the coinpl ed fastener blanks, one by one, to a e in such a manner that the blanks delivery cl will be properly presented, prongs downward, for operation upon by a plunger adapted to affn: each blank to the rear wall of an envelope. fhe above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of a machine for applying metallic fasteners to envelopes with the mechanism of the present invention cooperating therewith.

Fig. 2 is plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

3 is a view in front elevation of the mechanism embodying the invention, certain portions being shown in section.

Fig. 4. is a vertical sectional view along the line 4 i of Fig. .3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing in plan the formation of the fastener blanks from the web of strip material.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in vertical section along the line 6-6 of Fig. 2, showing the punches on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section along the line 7'? of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 a fragmentary horizontal section along the line 8-8 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring first to Figs. and 2, the mechanism of the present invention is shown for purposes of illustration as cooperating with a machine for applying metallic fasteners to envelopes of the type shown and described in applicants copending application, Serial No. 542,264, filed jointly with Vincent E. Heywood on June 5, 1931. The machine of the aforesaid prior application consists generally of a frame 1 supporting a horizontally movable belt conveyor 2, the function of which is to move envelopes 3 from a suitable support 4 at one end of the machine, and to deliver them, one by one, to a stacking device 5 at the opposite end of the conveyor 2. As fully set forth and described in the aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 542,264, each envelope 3 while in transit between the support l and the stacking device 5, is arrested in its movement on the conveyor 2 and is shifted bodily at right angles to its previous line of travel by a transfer mechanism generally indicated by the reference character 6.

The envelope 3 indicated in full lines in Fig. 2 is shown as having been moved by the transfer mechanism 6 to the fastener attaching station, at which it is operated upon by a plunger 7 carried by a head 8 adapted to have a reciprocatory motion imparted thereto by reason of its connection to a horizontal shaft 9 through a crank 10 shown in dotted lines at the right of Fig. 3. The parts described thus far are merely illustrative of one application of the present invention, which as previously pointed out, has to do with an improved-mechanism for forming metallic fastener blanks from strip material and feeding them, one by one, to the fastener attaching station where each downward stroke of the plunger serves to attach a blank to the rear wall of an envelope 3, as presented by the trans=- fer mechanism 6. Obviously, as will hereinafter appear, the fastener blank forming and feeding mechanism of the present invention is adapted for operation in connection with other types of machines for applying metallic fasteners to envelopes. 95

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4, the fastener blank forming and feeding mechanism is supported by a bracket 11 which provides bearings 12 for a pair of feed rolls 13, 13 between which passes a metallic strip 14 from which the fastener blanks are to be formed. The strip 14 is supplied to the rolls 13 from a spool 15 rotatably mounted on the frame 1, a curved guide 16 serving to support the strip 14: between the spool 15 and the rolls 13, see Fig. 2. The shaft 17 of the lower feed r011 13 is extended beyond one bearing 12 and carries a ratchet 18, the teeth of which are engaged by a pawl 19 carried by one arm of a lever 20 freely mounted on the shaft 17. The other arm of lever 20 is pivotally connected to a link 21 extending downwardly with its lower end pivotally connected to a fork 22 embracing the shaft 9. As best shown in Fig. 4, the fork 22 carries a roll 23 bearing on the surface of a cam 24 mounted on the shaft 9. Consequently, each revolution of the shaft 9 imparts an oscillatory movement to the pawl lever 20 so as to cause the pawl 19 to turn the ratchet 18 with the shaft 17 through the displacement of one ratchet tooth, the pawl 19 returning to its feeding position at the end of each shaft revolution.

As best shown in Fig. 5, each feed roll 13 is knurled at 13a around its peripheral edges so that the strip 14 is gripped along its longitudinal edges. The gripping effect is maintained by mounting the upper roll 13 on a bushing eccentric with respect to the roll shaft axis, an arm 25 connected to a spring 26 serving to press the upper roll towards the lower roll. Turning the arm 25 against the spring 26 releases the strip 14. Therefore, each time the lower roll 13 is turned through the space of one ratchet tooth by oscillation of the pawl lever 20, a predetermined length of strip 14 is fed between the rolls 13. In gripping the strip 14, the knurled portions 13a score only the longitudinal edges of the strip, as indicated at 14c, leaving the intermediate portion of the strip entirely undisturbed for the formation of fastener blanks therefrom by mechanism which will next be described.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the rolls 13 are adapted to feed the strip 14 flatwise over a punch plate 27 having an opening 27a therein for receiving a punch 28. The punch 28 is carried by a plunger 29 having a reduced portion 30 extending downwardly through the base of the bracket 11 with its lower portion surrounded by a spring 31. The upper end of the spring 31 is seated in a recess 32 provided in the bracket base 11a, with its other end bearing on a head 33 carried by the reduced portion 30 of the plunger 29. Therefore, the compression in the spring 31 tends to maintain the shoulder between the plunger 29 and its reduced portion 30 in engagement with the bracket base 11a, thus maintaining the punch 28 in a retracted position within the punch plate opening 27a.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the head 33 on the reduced plunger portion 30 is maintained by the spring 31 in engagement with the periphery of a roll 34 carried at the end of an arm 35 formed integrally with a sleeve 36 (see Fig. 3) freely mounted on a shaft 37. The sleeve 36 provides a second arm 38 extending downwardly and carrying at its lower end a roll 33a bearing on the surface of a cam 39 mounted on the shaft 9. The cam 39 is so designed that for the major portion of each revolution of the shaft 9, no motion is imparted to the lever arm 38 and the punch 28 remains in the position shown in Fig. 3. However, uponthe engagement of the roll 38a with a projection 39a on the cam 39, the arm 38 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, which causes the other arm 35 to impart a quick upward movement to the punch 28, with reference to a die block 40, hereinafter described.

With the parts occupying the position of Fig. 4, the cam 24 has turned the lower roll 13 to feed the strip 14 a predetermined amount with reference to the plate 27, with the pawl operating link 21 about to start its downward movement to retract the pawl for another feed. Therefore, the strip 14 is stationary when continued rotation of the shaft 9 in the direction of the arrow causes the cam projection 39a to impart upward movement to the punch 28 towards the then lowered die block 40. As best shown in Fig. 6, the punch 28 provides a number of spaced piercing portions 28a, which on the upward movement of the punch 28 penetrate the strip 14 and form a group of upwardly projecting prongs 41, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, the die block 40 providing elongated openings 40a for the prongs 41. Following formation of the prongs 41 by the upward stroke of the punch 28, the punch is retracted by the pressure of the spring 31 as the roll 38a rides off the cam projection 39a. The strip 14, with a set of prongs 41 formed therein is then free to be fed across the plate 27 upon the next step of the feed rolls 13, the amplitude of this feed movement being represented in Fig. 5 by the distance between the centers of adjacent sets of prongs 41. The next feed of the strip 14 carries the prongs 41 as first formed into a position in alinement with the vertical axis of a blanking punch 42, the operation of which will next be described.

9. As best shown in Fig. 6, the blanking punch 42 has a profile corresponding to the outline of a fastener blank designated by the reference character A in Fig. 5, downward movement of the punch 42 through a stripper 43 into a die opening 272) of the plate 27 being adapted to punch out a fastener blank of this form from the then stationary strip 14. The inside of the blanking punch 42 is hollow, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, so that the blanking operation does not bend down the previously formed prongs 41, the final blank presenting a pronged body portion with tongues a, a projecting from opposite sides thereof.

The blanking punch 42 together with the die block 40 is carried by a plunger 44 vertically movable on the bracket 11, the upper end of the plunger 44 being pivotally connected by a link 45 to one end of a bell crank lever 46. The lever 46 is pivotally mounted on a stud 47 with its other arm connected by a pin 48 to a collar 49 mounted on a rod 50. The rod 50 is in turn carried by an eccentric yoke 51 surrounding an eccentric disk 52 mounted on the shaft 9 so that each revolution of the shaft imparts a rocking movement to the bell crank lever 46. In the position of parts shown in Fig. 4, the blanking punch 42 and the die block 40 are raised above the metal strip 14 and the angular relation between the cam 39 and the eccentric disk 52 is such that the die block 40 is in position for a set of prongs 41 to be formed by upward movement of the punch 28 just after a fastener A is blanked out by downward movement of the punch 42.

Following the blanking out of a fastener A, the next feeding movement of the strip 14 carries the opening in the strip out of alinement with the punch 42 and positions the next set of prongs 41 in alinement with the punch 42. Then on the next feeding movement of the strip a cutting block 53 also movable with the plunger 44 and spaced from the punch 42 operates simultaneously with the blanking punch 42 to cut off a piece from the blanked strip of substantially the same area as the amount of strip fed by each movement of the rolls 13. The operation of the cutting block 53 thus serves to prevent the blanked strip from being fed out from the machine, the pieces of strip cut off by the block 53 falling into a suitable slot 54 at the end of the stripper 43.

As each fastener is punched from the strip 14, it falls into a downwardly inclined chute 55, best shown in Fig. 3, the chute 55 being contracted at 56 to direct the fastener blank A vertically with its tongues a, at extending longitudinally of the chute. As a fastener blank slides vertically in the contracted chute portion 5", its movement is arrested by a pair of stop pins 57 projecting from an arm 58 pivotally mounted at 59. As best shown in Fig. 7, the stop pins 57 on the arm 58 are spaced apart just far enough to receive between them the lower tongue a of a fastener blank A, with the pronged body of the blank resting on the stop pins 57. Thus each time a fastener A is blanked from the strip 14 and falls into the chute 55, it comes to rest in the vertical chute portion 56 on the pins 57 of the arm 58.

The stop pins 57 are movable freely in openings 60 provided in an anvil block 61, the vertical face of which is in alinement with one wall of the chute portion 56. The pins 57 are slightly longer than the thickness of the block 61, and are adapted to be maintained in position with their ends projecting beyond the block 61 by means of a cam 62 bearing on the opposite side of the lever arm 58. The cam 62 is mounted on a cross shaft 63 driven from the shaft 9 through beveled gearing, not shown, so that the shaft 63 makes one revolution for each revolution of the shaft 9. The lower end of the lever arm 58 is adapted to be held in engagemet with the cam 62 by means of a spring 64, so that when the low portion of the cam 62 is reached by the arm 58, the stop pins 57 are withdrawn from the face of the block 61 to release a fastener blank A. Thus, during each revolution of the shaft 63 from the position,

shown, the stop pins 57 are adapted to be first withdrawn to release a blank for delivery to the fastened attaching station, and then projected beyond the block 61 to arrest downward travel of the next blank.

When a fastener blank A is released by withdrawal of the stop pins 57, it continues downwardly in the vertical chute portion 56 and then into an inclined chute portion 65, which delivers the blank at the fastener attaching station in position to be attached to the rear wall of an envelope 3 by the downwardly moving plunger 7. When a blank enters the chute portion 56, its prongs 41 are extending in the direction of the plunger 7, and the junction between the chute portions 56 and 65 is so formed that the blank A is automatically turned over in its travel and arrives at the attaching station with its prongs 41 projecting downwardly for penetration of the wall of the envelope.

As best shown at 66 in Fig. 8, both the chutes 56 and 65 are open on the side towards the plunger 7 near their juncture, and a slot 67 is provided in the contiguous Walls of both chutes, with the slot extending around the angle between the chutes. The slot 67 is somewhat wider than the tongues a, a of a blank A, so that the lower tongue (1 of a blank dropping through the vertical chute portion 56 freely enters the slot 67, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. When the fastener blank A enters the inclined chute portions 65 with its lower tongue a received in the slot 67, a turning movement is imparted to the blank about its shorter axis when the tongue :1 strikes the lower end of the slot 67, and as the blank turns, its upper tongue is free to swing through the open portion 66 of the chute opposite the slot 67. Consequently, the turned over fastener slides down the inclined chute 65 towards the plunger 7, with its attaching prongs 41 projecting downwardly, the blank coming to rest in a substantially horizontal position in axial alinement with the plunger 7. Suitable stops 68 are provided for holding a blank A above the envelope for operation upon by the plunger, the construction of which forms no part of the present invention, and is fully. shown and described in the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 542,264.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that during each complete revolution of the shaft 9 from the position shown in Fig. 4, the stop pins 57 will first release a blank A for delivery to the fastener attaching station, after which the descending punch 42 will blank out a fastener which falls into the chute 55, the blanking operation being closely followed by severance of a waste piece and formation of a set of prongs 41 by the upwardly moving punch 28. The operation of the punch 42, however, is preceded by the return of the stop pins 57 to their blank arresting position, so that the blank just formed is held midway of the chute 56 until the start of the next operating cycle. As the shaft 9 completes one revolution, the cam 24 causes the pawl 19 to turn the feed roll 13,

thereby feeding the strip 14 to position the prongs 41, previously formed, beneath the then raised punch 42. In other words, the cycle of operation resulting from one complete revolution of the shaft 9 is characterized by the delivery of the last formed blank to the fastener attaching station, followed by the blanking out of a fastener from a previously pronged strip area and the arrestation of the blank in the delivery chute; the formation of a set of prongs in the strip and the severance of a waste piece from the strip occurring just after the blanking, with the strip feed taking place at the end of the cycle.

As previously pointed out, the present inven-- tion contemplates the provision in asingle mechanism of the above described strip feeding blanking and delivery means, and obviously, this particular mechanism is adapted for operation in connection with various types of machines for applying the fasteners to envelopes. However, as further illustrative of the utility of the present invention, there will next be described the manner in which the cycle of strip feeding, blank forming and blank feeding operations, as performed during one revolution of the shaft 9, may be automatically synchronized with the operation of a machine for applying the fasteners to envelopes, such as the machine described in the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 542,264.

To this end, the shaft 9 which drives the fastener blank mechanism, as well as-the fastener attaching plunger 7, is adapted to have imparted thereto a periodic rotative movement automatically dependent on the delivery of envelopes 3 to the transfer mechanism 6. As best shown in Fig. 2, the shaft 9 carries a clutch sleeve 69 loosely mounted thereon, which sleeve adapted to be driven through a chain 70 from the main drive shaft 71 through a Geneva motion, not shown, so that the sleeve will start from rest; make one complete revolution and. stop, while the drive shaft 71 is making only about one-fourth of a complete revolution. The drive shaft 71 is continuously driven, and is connected through a suitable gearing, not shown, to a shaft 72 carrying a pair of envelope feed wheels 73, the shaft 72 being driven at the same speed as the main drive shaft 71. The particular arrangement of gearing between the drive shaft 71 and the feed wheel shaft 72, as well as the Geneva motion between the drive shaft 71 and the sleeve 69, is fully shown and described in the aforesaid copending application Serial No. 542,264, and need not be further shown and described herein. It is sufficient for an understanding of the present invention to state that in the cycle of operations resulting from one revolution of the drive shaft 71, the feed wheels 73 remove an envelope 3 from the support 4 and deliver it to the conveyor 2 for movement to the transfer mechanism 6 before the Geneva motion imparts a complete revolution to the sleve 69 on the shaft 9.

For the purpose of establishing a connection between the periodically driven sleeve 69 and the shaft 9, a clutch collar 74 is slidably keyed to the shaft 9, and provides a shoulder adapted to be moved into engagement with a corresponding shoulder on the sleeve 69, in order to effect a positive coupling between the sleeve 69 and the shaft 9. As best shown in Fig. 3, the collar 74 provides a groove 75 adapted to receive pins 76 carried by a fork 77 embracing the collar 74, the fork 77 being turnable on a shaft 78. As best shown in Fig. 2, springs 79 connected to the fork pins 76 exert a pull tending to shift the collar 74 into clutching engagement with the sleeve 69, and movement of the collar 74 by the springs 79 is under the control of a cam 80 mounted on the continuously driven feed wheel shaft 72. This cam 80 is adapted to be engaged by a roll 81 mounted on an arm 82 turnable with the shaft 78 carrying the fork 77, the cam 80 being so designed as to cause the arm 82 to hold the clutch collar 74 out of engagement with the sleeve 69 when the parts occupy the position shown in Fig.

, 3. As the cam falls away from the roll 81, the

springs 79 will exert a force tending to move the collar 74 into engagement with the then stationary sleeve 69, whereupon rotation of the sleeve 69 through one complete revolution by the Geneva motion will be imparted to the shaft 9. As pre- 'viously pointed out, rotation of the sleeve 69 through one complete revolution takes place while the drive shaft is making about one-fourth of a revolution, so that continued rotation of the cam 80 on the shaft '72 automatically withdraws the collar 74 from clutching engagement with the sleeve 69 after the latter has come to rest. In other words, the shaft 9 controlling the blank punching and feeding mechanism is adapted. to

have one complete revolution imparted thereto 'during a definite portion of the operating cycle of the fastener attaching machine the mechanism remaining at rest during the remainder of the cycle, with the parts occupying the position of Fig. 4.

As previously pointed out, the present embodiment of the invention also contemplates the automatic synchronization of the blank punching and feeding mechanism with the movement of envelopes on the conveyor 2, so that the blank mechanism will operate only when an envelope is delivered by the transfer 6 to the plunger 7 for the attachment of a fastener. For this purpose, a second arm 83 turnable with the shaft 78 is under the control of a latch 84 projecting from a sleeve 85 freely turnable on a shaft 86, as best shown in Fig. 1. The end of the latch 84 provides a notch 84a that is maintained in engagement with the end of the arm 83 bythe unbalanced Weight of a detecting finger 87 and its carrier, the finger 87 extending in the direction of the conveyor 2. In the absence of the passage of an envelope along the conveyor 2, the lower end of the finger 87 is received in a suitable slot provided in the horizontal table 88 of the machine, so that the end of the arm 83 remains in the notch 84a of the latch 84. Therefore, the shaft 78 with its fork 77 is locked against turning movement, even though rotation of the shaft 72 causes the cam 80 to fall away from the roll 81 on the arm 82. In other words, it is impossible to clutch the shaft 9 to the sleeve 69 until after an envelope has passed beneath the finger 87.

If it now be assumed that rotation of the envelope feed wheels 73 removes an envelope 3 from the stack and delivers it to the conveyor 2, it is obvious that the detecting finger 87 will be lifted by the passage of an envelope so that the latch 84 will release the arm 83. With the arm 83 thus released, continued rotation of the shaft 72 will permit the springs 79 to engage the collar 74 with the sleeve 69, as the surface of the cam 80 falls away from the arm 82. This clutching of the shaft 9 to the sleeve 69 is timed to occur just before one complete revolution is imparted to the sleeve 69, so that the operating cycle of the blank punching and feeding mechanism is initiated by the time the moving envelope reaches the transfer. Consequently, the fastener blank A formed by the preceding punching operation is released by the stop pins 57 and is properly positioned below the attaching plunger 7 by the time the envelope reaches the fastener attaching station. When once the operating cycle of the blank forming mechanism is initiated, it is automatically completed so that when the shaft 9 again comes to rest after one revolution, a fresh fastener blank A has been punched and positioned in the chute 56 by the stop pins 57, and a portion of the strip with a set of prongs 41 formed therein has been positioned beneath the raised punch 42.

Upon passage of an envelope beneath the detecting finger 87, the latter drops into the table slot, thereby returning the latch 84 into engagement with the arm 83. Therefore, if for any reason an envelope should fail to be fed to the conveyor during the next revolution of the feed wheels 73, the latch 84 will be in position to prevent turning of the fork 77 by the springs 79. In other words, the latch 84 under the control of the detecting finger 87 will automatically prevent clutching of the shaft 9 to the sleeve 69, should an envelope fail to feed, thereby positively preventing the delivery of a fastener blank to the fastener attaching station unless an envelope is in position to receive a fastener. Nor will the fastener attaching plunger 7 or the blank punching devices be operated unless an envelope is fed, since all these elements are also driven from'the shaft 9.

Following the delivery of a punched out blank A to the chute 56 and its engagement with the stop pins 57, the blank remains stationary until its release by the stop pins at the beginning of the next operating cycle of the blank mechanism. With the blank A in its arrested position on the pins 57, the longitudinal tongues a, a thereof extend substantially parallel to the face of the anvil block 61, and the invention further the anvil block 61, with a stud 93 in the path of an arm 94 carrying at its upper end a yieldable finger 95. The arm 94 is mounted on a shaft 96, and turning of this arm 94 in a clockwise direction causes the finger 95 to engage the stud 93 projecting from the side of the hammer 89, as indicated in dotted lines.

As movement of the arm 94 continues from the position shown in Fig. 3, the leaf spring 91 is flexed to the right so that release of the hammer 89 by the finger 95 after the arm 94 has turned to the full line position results in the end of the hammer striking the fastener blank A on the stop pins 57 a sharp blow. Since the striking end of the hammer 89 is cut away at 89a so as to bridge the pronged body portion of the blank A, only the longitudinal tongues a, a of the blank are struck by the hammer 89, and as these tongues are supported by the anvil block 61, any burrs or rough edges are removed by the blow of the hammer 89. After striking the blank the hammer returns to the position of Fig. 3, due to the reflex of the spring 91.

The shaft 96 which carries the arm 94 for controlling the movement of the hammer 89 also carries a downwardly extending arm 97 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which arm 97 is connected by a link 98 to an arm 99 carried by the shaft 78 on which the clutch fork '77 is mounted. Consequently, the hammer actuating arm 94 is under the control of the and is caused to pull back and release the hammer 89 at the end of the blank forming cycle while the blank is held on the stop pins 57.

Having described the various parts entering into the present invention, the operation of the mechanism, as a whole will next be described, as briefly as possible. In order to place the mechanism in condition for the delivery of fastener blanks to the fastener attaching station in timed relation with the delivery of envelopes thereto, it is necessary to turn the shaft 9 through at least three complete revolutions. The reason for this will be obvious from a consideration of Fig. 5, it being apparent that not until the third revolution of shaft 9 will the punch 42 blank out a fastener with the prongs 41 formed therein, which fastener is arrested midway of the vertical chute portion 56 by the stop pins 57. The fact that there is always one set of prongs 41 positioned in the strip 14 between the punches 28 and i2 is not an essential feature of the mechanism, since it results from the design of the punches and their spacing with respect to the plate 27. In other words, the mechanism could be caused to operate just as effectively with the punch 42 blanking out a fastener carrying a set of prongs formed by the preceding stroke of the punch 28.

Assuming that three or more complete revolutions of the shaft 9 has resulted in the positioning of a pronged fastener blank on the stop pins 57 and that a supply of envelopes 3 has been positioned upon the support 4, the next operating cycle of the entire mechanism as driven from the drive shaft '71 first causes the removal of a single envelope by the wheel '73. At this time the shaft 9 is stationary, with the parts shown in the position of Fig. 4, the last feed of the strip is having positioned a set of prongs 41 in alinement with the then raised punch 42. As the envelope moves along the table 88 toward the transfer 6, its passage lifts the detecting finger 8'7, thereby permitting the springs 79 tosh ft the collar '74 into clutching engagement with the sleeve 69, at that time stationary. The

turning of the shaft l8 under the influence of the cam 80 also serves to move the hammer operating arm as from the full line to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, the finger yielding on the arm 94 as it passes beneath the stud 93 on the hammer 89.

Immediately following the clutching of the collar '74 to the sleeve 69, and before the envelope is delivered to the fastener attaching station by the transfer 6, the shaft 9 starts to make one complete revolution from the position shown in Fig. 4, the operating cycle of the shaft 9 being initiat d after the drive shaft 71 has completed about one-half a revolution. As soon as the shaft 9 starts to turn, the cam 62 controlling the stop pin arm 58 permits the spring as to move the arm 58 away from the chute 56, thereby retracting the pins 57 and releasing the last formed fastener blank A. The released blank immediately drops through the chute portion 56 and in entering the inclined chute portion 65 turns over, as shown in dotted lines, so that the blank A arrives at the fastener attaching. station, prongs downward,

and in alinement with the then raised attaching plunger 7.

Rotation of the shaft 9 through 180 from the position shown in Fig. 4 results in downward movement of the plunger 44 carrying the punch s2, and it is evident from a consideration of Fig. 6 that the punch 42 will blank out a fastener with prongs 4 1 formed therein shortly after the plunger is starts its downward movement. Continued downward movement of the plunger 44 not only causes the punch 42 to carry the punched out blank through the die opening 271;, but also positions the die block 40 just above the strip l l. Therefore, as the cam projection 39a turns the lever arms 38 and 35 at the completion of one-half of a revolution of the shaft 9, a quick upward movement is imparted to the punch 28 to form a set of prongs 41 in cooperation with the lowered die block 49. It will also be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 6 that before the die block 40 reaches its lowest position for cooperation with the punch 28, the cutting block 53 cooperating with the end of plate 27 will sever a length of waste strip material equal to the amount of strip feed, the waste piece falling into the slot 54 beyond the plate 2'7.

As the punch 42 reaches the lower limit of its travel in the die opening 272), the fastener blank A is cleared from the punch and drops into the upper inclined chute portion 55. However, before the blank has time to enter the vertical chute portion 55, the cam 62 pressing on the arm 58 has projected the stop pins 57 forwardly from the anvil block 61, so that the fastener blank, just formed, is arrested in its downward movement,

the pins 57 remaining in this position for the remainder of the revolution of the shaft 9.

As previously pointed out, the fastener attaching plunger 7 is carried by a head 8 adapted to receive a reciprocatory movement from a crank 10 at the end of the shaft 9, so that the plunger '7 moves simultaneously with the punch 42. And since a fastener blank A is positioned, prongs downward, below the plunger 7 at the very beginning of the operating cycle of shaft 9, downward movement of the plunger 7 causes it to attach the fastener blank to the rear wall of an envelope, the prongs 41 penetrating the envelope material and being turned over to clinch the fastener.

As the shaft 9 completes one revolution from the position shown in Fig, i, the cam 24 controlling the feed pawl lever 20 imparts an upward movement to the link 21, thereby causing the pawl 19 to turn the ratchet l8 and the lower feed roll 13 through the displacement of one ratchet tooth. Thus a predetermined length of strip is fed by the rolls 13 at the very end of the operating cycle of shaft 9, it being evident from a consideration of Fig. 4 that the eccentric disk 52 has raised the plunger 44 to clear the punch 42 from the strip well in advance of the turning of the feed rolls 13.

Following the completion of one revolution of the shaft 9, the sleeve 69 comes to rest, whereupon the rise of the cam on the shaft 72 causes the fork '77 to withdraw the collar 74 from clutching engagement with the sleeve 69. As this occurs, turning of the fork shaft '78 carrying the arm 99 also causes the arm 94 with its finger 95 to retract the hammer 89 with respect to the fastener then supported on the stationary stop pins 57. As the arm 94 moves to the right from its dotted line position of Fig. 3, the spring 91 yields until the finger 95 releases the stud 93 approximately in the dotted line position of the stud. Thereupon the flexed spring 91 quickly moves the hammer 89 to the left, causing it to strike a sharp blow on the tongues a, a of the fastener as held on the pins 5'7. Therefore, any burrs or rough edges on the tongues a are flattened out following the arrival of a fastener on the pins 57, and well in advance of the release of the fastener blank at the start of the next operating cycle of the shaft 9. Following the striking of a blow, the hammer 89 is returned to the position shown in Fig. 3 by the tendency of the spring 91 to assume an unflexed condition, the striking end of the hammer being then entirely retracted from the chute 56 so as not to interfere with the release of the fastener blank A.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that each complete revolution of the shaft 9 is accompanied by all of the above described operations occurring in timed relation. In the event, however, of the failure of an envelope 3 to feed and to be transferred to the fastener attaching station, the detecting finger 87 prevents turning of the latch arm 83, thereby preventing the shaft 9 from being clutched to the sleeve 69. As a result, a fastener blank A, as held in the chute 56, is delivered to the fastener attaching station only in advance of the actual arrival of an envelope, and the same holds true with respect to both the formation of another blank and feeding of the strip.

I claim:

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for intermittently feeding a metallic strip, means for punching a fastener blank from said strip during each dwell in the feeding movement thereof, with each blank providing projecting prongs extending upwardly and means for conveying each blank to a fastener attaching station, of means interposed between said blank punching means and said attaching station for arresting the travel of a blank toward said station, with its prongs horizontal, means for releasing said blank and means for turning over the released blank in its travel toward said station to present it, prongs downward, at said station.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for intermittently feeding a metallic strip, means for punching a fastener blank from said strip during each dwell in the feeding movement thereof, with each blank providing projecting prongs extending upwardly and means for conveying each blank to a fastener attaching station, of means interposed between said blank punching means and said attaching station for arresting the travel of a blank toward said station, with its prongs horizontal, means for performing a flattening operation on said blank outside the area of said prongs, means for releasing said blank and means for turning over the released blank in its travel toward said station to present its prongs downward at said station.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for intermittently feeding a metallic strip, means for punching a fastener blank from said strip during each dwell in the feeding movement thereof, and means for conveying each blank to a fastener attaching station, of means operating in timed relation with said blank punching means for arresting the travel of said blank toward said attaching station and for releasing the arrested blank in advance of the punching of the next blank.

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for intermittently feeding a metallic strip, means for punching a fastener blank from said strip during each dwell in the feeding movement thereof, and means for conveying each blank to a fastener attaching station, of means operating in timed relation with said blank punching means for arresting the travel of each blank toward said station, for striking a blow to flatten a portion of each blank while in its arrested position, and for releasing each blank following the fiattening operation.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for intermittently feeding a metallic strip, and a plate for supporting said strip between each feeding movement, of punches movable at right angles and in opposite directions to the plane of said strip and plate, with one punch adapted to penetrate said strip at a number of points to form prongs therein, and with the other punch adapted to blank out an area of said strip surrounding a set of said prongs, said second punch being recessed to freely receive a set of prongs.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with rolls for feeding a metallic strip extending therebetween, a punch for cutting a blank from a portion of said strip, a downwardly extending chute for receiving said blank, and a stop device operable in said chute for arresting the downward movement of a blank therein, of a rotatable shaft and means operable during each complete revolution of said shaft for causing said rolls to feed a predetermined length of strip, for causing said punch to cut a blank from said strip and to deliver it to said chute, for causing said stop device to arrest the travel of a blank in said chute and for causing the release of a blank by said stop device for further travel in said chute.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with means for conveying envelopes one by one, means for transferring envelopes from said conveying means for operation upon by a reciprocatory plunger, means for intermittently feeding metallic strip, means for punching envelope fastener blanks from said strip, and means for conveying fastener blanks from said punching m ans into a position for attachment to an envelope by said plunger, of means operating in timed relation with said envelope delivery and transfer means for causing the delivery of a fastener blank beneath said plunger in advance of the arrival of an envelope.

8. In mechanism of the class described, the coznpination with means for conveying envelopes one by one, means for transferring envelopes from conveying means for operation upon by a reciprocatory plun er, means for intermittently ieeding metallic strip, means for punching envelope fastener blanks from said strip, and means for conveyin fastener blanks from said punching means into a position for attachment to an envelope by said plunger, of means operating in timed relation with said envelope conveying and transfer means for causing the delivery of a fastener blank beneath said plunger and the subseq ent formation of another blank by said punch from the strip, followed by he feeding of a predetermined length of said strip by said rolls.

9. In mechanism of the class described, the combination With means for conveying envelopes one by one, means for transferring envelopes from said conveying means for operation upon by a reciprocatory plunger, means for intermittently feeding metallic strip, and means for punching envelope fastener blanks from said strip, of means dependent upon the conveyance of an envelope to said transfer means for automatically initiating a cycle of operations characterizer by the delivery of the fastener blank in position for attachment to an envelope by said plunger, the formation of another blank by said punch and the feed of a predetermined length of strip by said rolls.

GEORGE A. ANDERSON. 

